In the uncertain and volatile world in which we live, protecting one’s wealth, growing it and finding security and peace of mind often seem to pose significant challenges, especially when it comes to retirement and...

As soon as you earn a salary you are responsible for your finances, but the art of crafting a successful financial life does not come with a manual. You may learn a few tricks in school or university, or pick up some tips from parents or co-...

The decision to invest a lump sum is generally the product of an extended period of saving, and investors take pride in their nest egg. Being human, investors tend to keep a close eye on their new investments in the first year, hoping that the...

A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) reveals that those who postpone retirement enjoy better physical and mental health than those who don’t.Besides the obvious financial benefits of earning more and delaying drawing down...

The FSB approved the first collective investment schemes in hedge funds with effect from 27th November 2015. The schemes, one a Qualified Investor Hedge Fund (QIHF) and the other a Retail Investor Hedge Fund (RIHF), are registered under the...

Taxpayers are often unaware of their VAT registration liabilities, which can result in a retrospective VAT registration. “This regularly leads to a liability for output tax on supplies made as amounts charged are generally deemed to be VAT...

“When investing, it is imperative to match your investment strategy with your investment horizon,” says Mike Browne of Seed Investments. “Investors who are able to match these two (and who can refrain from acting on emotion in the interim) will...

Programmes to assist employers in curbing sick absenteeism have proved successful, with some Alexander Forbes Health clients reporting savings of up to 33% man-days per year. This equates to a saving of one day for every three days taken....

The deductions allowed under the Income Tax Act and the Maintenance Act are tax and maintenance orders. The Pension Funds Act allows a retirement fund to make the following deductions from the pension benefits of a member, after tax has been...

Global markets have been volatile since the beginning of 2015 due to question marks over the likely timing of the first US interest rate hike and various geo-political issues. While these factors could continue to...

The National Treasury published the Draft Carbon Tax Bill (the Draft Bill) on 2nd November 2015. According to Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group's Head of Public Law and Regulatory, Claire Tucker, "The introduction of a carbon tax has been...

According to estimates by the Healthcare Forensic Management Unit (HFMU) of the Board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa (BHF), at least 7% of all medical aid claims in South Africa are fraudulent and the figure...

Consumers will be the losers if the Financial Sector Regulation Bill (FSRB) is enacted and parliament should demand a socio economic impact assessment (SEIA) before this bill goes any further. This is the message from the Free Market Foundation (...

Demographics play a crucial role in global macro-economics in its entirety – across inflation, GDP growth, debt, asset prices and pensions. “This is because demographics is all about consumers and workers, not just...

Every day we hear about new data breaches or data losses, with high profile cases bringing data security into the mainstream news agenda. “There is no denying that the role of today’s Chief Information Office (CIO) is...

The release of the report The State of the World’s Antibiotics, 2015 by the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) shows that South Africa’s growing use of antibiotics could lead to increased...

We often talk about the value of time in investing, but it is difficult to get to grips with the rewards that can be reaped through compound growth: earning interest today on interest earned yesterday, and so forth....

As one of the custodians of the insurance industry, the SA Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB) has highlighted some key crime trends which have had a direct impact on insurance claims costs and frequency, ahead of the...

It is the time of year for annual trustee meetings and reviews. “It is no surprise, in light of the Davis Tax Committee’s report, that every client I have met with to date has asked the question: Should I keep my trust in place or terminate it...

A “Marshall Plan” is needed to increase the number of doctors if the country’s healthcare system was to remain sustainable, said executive government and stakeholder relations at Medi-Clinic, Dr Nkaki Matlala....

In recent years, there has been a rise in inconsistent weather patterns that have negatively affected both consumers and businesses globally. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has not been exempt from...

“We agree with the consensus sentiment that investing in equities is one of the simplest and best solutions for maximising returns over the long term. Moreover, risk of capital losses reduces as time goes by,” Selwyn...

Since 1997 the performance of “value” has been cyclical. But over the very long term value as an investment style has still outperformed the “growth style” of investing. This means that when value outperforms, it does...

Individuals who save for retirement through pension funds or retirement annuities (RAs) have a responsibility to ensure their investments are compliant with Regulation 28, the limits of which apply to both the fund...

While insurance executives overwhelmingly know that innovation will drive future competitive advantage and growth, most seem to be struggling to kindle the spark within their organisation, finds a KPMG International...

While insurers and brokers have successfully adapted to disruption in the past, the challenges facing the industry are far from over. More than two-fifths (41%) of delegates at the Innovation & Disruption...

Most South African medical professionals are still doubtful over the implementation of the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme into the South African healthcare system. According to a survey conducted by...

The South African venture capital industry now represents almost R2 billion in assets under management, with healthy confidence levels that are commensurate with reported rising deal activity, a pleasing exits record...

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Africa’s leading exchange, launched its new index series, the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series, in partnership with FTSE Russell. The new index series replaces the JSE’s...

The Hollard Insurance Group, South Africa’s largest independent insurance group, together with its umbrella holding company, has agreed to acquire the Regent Group (comprising Regent Life and Regent Insurance) from...